Characteristics

Facilities

Inn

Mailbox

Stables

Anvil & Forge

Bank

Travel

Flight Master

Boat

Status

Situated on the east road from the Crossroads, Ratchet is the first neutral settlement that most Horde players will come across in their travels. Most of the quests available cater for players between levels 15 and 25, but there are a few higher level quests that emerge later on in the game. Ratchet is a port town governed by the trade princes. It is a neutral town populated mostly by goblins, so all races are welcome there, no matter how much gold they have to spend.[3]

Ratchet, on Kalimdor’s central east coast, is run by goblins and shows it. Its streets sprawl in every direction, and the architecture shows no consistency or common vision. It is a city of entertainment and trade, where anything that anyone would ever want to buy — and plenty of things that no one ever wants to buy — is on sale. Casinos, playhouses, brothels, fine restaurants, taverns, tearooms, gladiatorial arenas… Ratchet has it all. From the grungiest sailor to the wealthiest royalty, all can sate their tastes in Ratchet. Ratchet is Kalimdor’s largest port, and ships commonly stop here on their way elsewhere. Pirate vessels receive amnesty in Ratchet’s waters, bringing an influx of the disreputable and violent. Indeed, Ratchet is a hotspot, as races of all types and members of all social economic strata rub shoulders in the bazaars. Goblin watchmen are quick to put down conflict and make sure the inhabitants all play nice with each other. The city never stops. Its lights are on, its shops open and its services available at any time of day or night. One can also hire transport in Ratchet, traveling via caravan, ship, zeppelin or more exotic means. Everything in Ratchet has a price, of course.[4]

Ratchet is currently run by Gazlowe, the Overseer of Ratchet, of the Steamwheedle Cartel under the watchful eye of the trade princes, who give him considerably free reign. Ratchet also serves as a base of operations for many members of a corporate group called the Venture Company[3], a collection of greedy entrepreneurs,[5] which is infamous for its massive numbers of goblin shredders.[3] They also run the city, and always keep their beady eyes on the bottom line at all times.[4][5]

Contents

Ratchet is the main goblin port in Kalimdor, it is a medium sized harbor city located on the eastern shore of the Barrens directly between Durotar and Theramore.[6] Built from equal parts of industry and decadence, the goblin port city of Ratchet sprawls along nearly a mile of coastline where the eastern Barrens poke between Durotar and the Dustwallow Marsh to the sea. Ratchet is the pride of the goblins, a trade city where you can find almost anything your heart desires — and if something is not in stock, you can bet the goblins can order it. Ratchet also had regular ferries that traversed the safe though roundabout route to the island stronghold of Theramore to the south.

Ratchet is a city where creatures who were once the butt of jokes now reign supreme. Its streets wander without rhyme or reason through neighborhoods dedicated to one activity: commerce. Ramshackle warehouses stand next to stately stone homes. Fine shops press cheek to jowl with rude huts. Wares of every type imaginable — and some beyond the imagination — are on display in markets and in exclusive boutiques.

The goblins run their operations around the clock, and boats are always pulling in and out of harbor carrying loads of precious goods and cargo. Goblin guardsmen patrol the streets, making sure that the various Horde and Alliance visitors play nice with each other.[6]

Goblins welcome anyone with gold or items of value and a willingness to trade them for their wares and services. Merchants throng the marketplaces each day, selling everything from silks to slaves, and even at night the stores lining the twisting streets and alleys remain open for business. Those with the money can listen to skilled musicians while drinking fine ales and eating food prepared by expert chefs. For those with earthier tastes, the streets along the wharf teem with whorehouses, taprooms, and casinos.[5] Since goblins are essentially neutral to everyone, Ratchet entertains members of each race who come for the nightlife. All in all, Ratchet is a wild place, offering great bars, fight clubs, girls (and guys), and fast boats.[6]

In addition to commerce, Ratchet hosts a series of arenas that sponsor gladiatorial tournaments. These enormously popular tourneys are open to all comers, and winners can reap enormous prizes. The princes of the Golden Circle often hire those who distinguish themselves in the arenas, either as bodyguards or as caravan escorts.

Ratchet is the largest port on Kalimdor, with as many ships bringing cargo in as there are ships heading out for other sites around Kalimdor. In addition to legitimate trade vessels, pirate craft receive amnesty while in the port of Ratchet as long as they can pay the stiff docking fees. This situation makes many merchant captains furious, but they cannot hope to stay in business if they boycott Ratchet. Moreover, the Lawkeepers and hired mercenaries prowling the waterfront are eager to deal with anyone looking to cause trouble.[5] More than one drunken hooligan has laughed at being told to calm down by a pair of tiny goblin guardsmen...only to wake up in jail with bruises and singed clothing.[6]

The skies above Ratchet are almost as busy as the harbor, full of goblin zeppelins, dwarf flying machines, and other aerial contraptions. The aircraft provide merchants and travelers with quick airborne transport to anywhere in Kalimdor — though when the regular cargoes of the trade princes need to be bumped, stiff premiums are charged well above the normally high cost of such a service.[5]

As with most of the Barrens, Ratchet is a known area of conflict in Azeroth. Unlike Booty Bay, the guards are thinly spread, much lower in level, and easy to avoid. Combined with a close proximity to Orgrimmar and Stormwind (via boat), Ratchet is far from the neutral haven some would wish it to be. Horde players who are high enough in level to not have to worry about the Goblin Bruisers have a distinct advantage for ganking on PvP servers; the Barrens is Horde territory, so they may wait for Alliance players to arrive from Booty Bay and gank them without fear of retribution (as their PvP flag may be turned off shortly after).

Engineer Gazlowe resides in Ratchet, trying to make some money out of the harbour.

Due to Ratchet's closeness to Orgrimmar, Ratchet is often used as a meeting place for Alliance raids on the orc capital. Horde players who come across an unusually large group of Alliance players in Ratchet are advised to warn their friends of an incoming raid. Along with the flight path to Zul'Aman in the Ghostlands, Ratchet is one of the two places on the map where the Alliance has a flight path into Horde territory.

Most of the quests to raise reputation with Ratchet and the Steamwheedle Cartel are located in the Barrens. Having a friendly or higher reputation will make the guards help you in case of initiated violence against you.